News as an industry is in dire straits, as Timothy Egan perfectly describes in Friday’s New York Times. The knee-jerk reactionary tone free from reporting, context or curiosity fosters the hate-click culture contributes to the industry’s race to the bottom.

With that, I realized I’d been derelict in posting daily news round-ups on this site. Small as it may be, CFB Huddle is a platform to do the opposite of further the hate-click agenda running rampant in all forms of media, whether it be sports, politics, economics, whatever.

With that, here’s some of the best college football reads of the week, appropriately starting with a feature on Mizzou.

Perspective on Mizzou

David Ubben, Sports on Earth

My chief complaint in the days immediately following the Missouri football team’s strike was how much opinion was offered independent of any actual reporting. Well, David Ubben — a terrific reporter — provides insight and context for Sports on Earth, both from his perspective as a Missouri graduate, and from the experiences of others with which he spoke.

Another piece of perspective on Mizzou, albeit from a completely unique angle. An oft repeated sentiment following the football team’s strike questioned the Tigers’ willingness to stand up had their record been better than 4-5.

Well, the 1961 UCLA Bruins took a stand against the Rose Bowl inviting a segregate Alabama team.

Shanahan’s history lesson is a must-read, detailing the impact athletes can have, and have had long before the Missouri football team this past weekend.

Jeff Greenberg’s gone behind-the-scenes with Arkansas State football this season, but this past week was a particularly fascinating one in which to peek behind the curtain. Jeff went on the road with the Red Wolves to Appalachian State for a pivotal, Sun Belt Conference showdown.

Both teams were undefeated in conference play coming in, with Appalachian State even generating some modest (albeit outlandish) chatter of competing for the Group of Five’s New Year’s Six bid.

Jeff examines Arkansas State’s preparation for Appalachian State in Part 1. Part 2 focuses on gameday. Really fascinating insight into one of college football’s most consistent, Group of Five programs.

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey broke into the Heisman Trophy conversation last month with a record-setting performance against UCLA. He hasn’t slowed down yet, and the Cardinal’s remaining games against Oregon and Notre Dame provide more opportunity for the sensational sophomore to get his name out there.

If there’s any one person McCaffrey can thank for his success, it’s his mom, as Emily Van Buskirk details in her excellent feature.

As any wise mother would, Lisa McCaffrey reminds Christian to be grateful for those around him:

If he does by any small chance win, he better bring his O-line something incredible — something pretty great. That’s all I can say, because he’s nothing without them. Even Stanford’s throwing game has to be on in order for him to run, so there’s a lot of things that have to go into it.

Another rising Heisman Trophy candidate, Baylor’s Corey Coleman, talked with Adam Kramer about what makes him tick. Coleman’s record-setting season could make him just the third wide receiver ever to win the Heisman, and the first to do so without also playing special teams.